Sean's Russia Blog

Kasparov Sues Nashi for his Honor

If you can’t beat them in the streets, try the courts. That’s what Garry Kasparov looks to be doing with his 30 million ruble lawsuit against Nashi. According to Kasparov’s camp the lawsuit is in defense of his “honor, dignity, business reputation and compensation for moral injury” inflicted by Nashi. At the center are Nashi’s fryers which emphasize Kasparov’s American citizenship and allege that he’s “a traitor and a thief who wants to come to power in order to return Russia the oligarchic chaos of the 1990s.” The lawsuit states that such rhetoric makes people think that he’s an agent of foreign powers’ efforts to plunder Russia.

Nashi has yet to give a response. When they do I’m sure it will only contain more of the same rhetoric against Kasparov. Or they might just laugh it off. Since the “orange threat” has been “liquidated,” Kasparov legal revenge might not get more than an afterthought from Nashi. At the moment the so-called “Democratic anti-fascist youth movement” is busy trying to mobilize it members against Kosovo independence and continue their protest against Estonia visa black list. That said, I could see Nashi using Kasparov’s suit to its own advantage if these other efforts turn out to be a bust.